The Sunshine's Knight
by Chi-The-Plant
Summary: Sasuke is the cream of the crop among the royal army. He is at the top of his game when he gets brutally injured and is forced to recover at the castle where he meets the golden prince. He wants to get back to the battlefields but the prince...well it can be hard to see with the sun in your eyes.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The soldier sat on the wooden cot staring out the window of the infirmary. It overlooked the training field the younger recruits were being taught to shoot a bow and arrow on. His dark eyes drifted further up towards the outer walls of the castle. Beyond them, a war raged. A war he should have been on the front lines of. It was where he had been until he had been brutally knocked from his horse. Normally, he would have been fine. He would have gotten up, brushed himself off, wrangled his horse, and charged forward. He was, after all, the best soldier in their battalion. He would have done all that, had the horse behind him not reared back and stamped down hard on his shoulder.

It radiated pain up and down his neck circling through his back. Initially, it took his breath away. It must have knocked him out at some point he assumed because when he opened his eyes again he was laid up in the castle infirmary. The pain was still prominent but not as excruciating. He could hear the voices of, whom he assumed, was the doctor and his commanding officer in the next room.

"I'm sorry Lord Kakashi it's just too far gone," the doctor said factually.

"It can't even be repaired?"

"It could," the other voice paused. "But, if he tries to swing a sword with that arm again before it's healed it could risk shredding all of that work and just rendering the arm useless. No good for a soldier."

Kakashi let out a sigh, running his hands through his hair.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, sliding his hand down his face. The stress was settling into his voice and his neck. He moved to peer into the room with his incapacitated soldier to take a quick glance at the injuries. "We really need him."

"I understand but, his recovery is more important," the doctor said.

"Right..." He sighed again. "How long do you think a full recovery will take?"

"Something that drastic? At least a year," the doctor shook his head, "maybe two."

"Two years?"

_'Two years?'_ the soldier thought. _'I can't be out of commission for two years.' _He watched as Kakashi walked into the room, a frown settling on both their faces.

"It's not looking good, Sasuke," Kakashi said.

"It's not feeling good either," Sasuke retorted.

"Your recovery time is an estimated two-"

"Two years," Sasuke cut him off. "I heard. I can't take two years off. I need to go out there. They need me. _You_ need me."

"You're right. But we need you at full capacity. Which you are not at right now."

"So what...what am I supposed to do," Sasuke clenched his jaw tightly against a spike of pain.

"For now," Kakashi explained. "You're going to let that mess heal up and then we will find someone to help retrain your arm," he rubbed the back of his neck, pressing into the muscle hard.

"You'll be staying here for a few weeks until I deem you safe to move either to the barracks or," the doctor said walking in. "Is your family home nearby perchance? "

"No, my mother and I both lived here at the castle before I joined the ranks," Sasuke sighed. _'She is going to be heartbroken,' _he suddenly thought.

"Mm, I see," the doctor hummed. "Well, I can send her down here to see you but you will have to remain here until I give you permission." Kakashi stepped closer to Sasuke, taking in his wounds once more before letting out another sigh.

"I'm going to come and check on you every week or so," he told him. "Just to make sure your recovery is going well."

"Thank you," Sasuke sighed, not really sure what else to say.

"Kabuto, let me know immediately if anything changes," Kakashi said to the doctor. Kabuto nodded and started to fix the pillows behind Sasuke.

"Of course my lord," He said, pressing a hand to Sasuke's stomach and back. "Move with me," he said, firmly pushing back against Sasuke's stomach until he started to ease back into the pillows and rest into them with a pained groan. Kakashi winced with his soldier as he turned on his foot to leave. "Now take this," he told him after reaching for a small bowl with powder and a glass of water.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked softly.

"Something that will help ease the pain and let you sleep for a little while," Kabuto answered. Sasuke nodded then hesitated for a second.

"It's not going to put me in a state where I won't remember anything later, will it?"

"No," Kabuto answered, shaking his head. "You will be fine." Sasuke nodded again, pouring the powder into the water, then taking a long sip. Seeing his soldier was in safe and capable hands Kakashi said goodbye to Sasuke for the time being and left.

"I'll send word to your mother," Kabuto said as he cleaned up Sasuke's bedside table. Sasuke nodded, watching him silently. His eyelids were already starting to drop heavily.

"Don't...tell my brother," he told Kabuto. "If he comes up."

"I will try my best not to let him hear the news," Kabuto nodded. However, Sasuke did not hear it. He was already fast asleep. "This is going to be a long road to recovery for you," he frowned, looking over the soldier.

A few hours later a clamoring group of boys tumbled into the infirmary.

"Kabutoooo," A built blond called out being supported between a redhead and a boy with painted cheeks. "Kabuto I need your help," he whined through a few giggles. The boys set him down on the closest bed. Kabuto came flying out, a finger pressed to his lips.

"Will you four shut up! There are people sleeping in here," he hissed. The noise woke Sasuke up but he kept his eyes closed, not wanting to be awake fully to feel the pain in his body. All four boys winced.

"Ooh, sorry," they said in a collective whisper.

"What do you need my help with?" Kabuto sighed.

"Prince dunderhead over here rolled his ankle," the boy with the painted cheeks rubbed his knuckles into the blond's head hard making him whine softly. The redhead shook his head and swatted the other boy's hands away.

"We were out with the horses and he got his foot stuck in a rabbit hole trying to reign in a horse after someone," the fourth boy finally spoke up, glaring at the boy with the painted cheeks. "Spooked her and sent her flying,"

"I see," Kabuto said. His gaze fell on the boy with the painted cheeks. "Why does it seem like whenever he gets hurt, it's your doing, Kiba?" he asked.

"It's not _always _my fault," Kiba defended. Kabuto sighed again, kneeling down to look at the prince's ankle. "Well, the good news is that it's not too serious," he said, grabbing a roll of bandages.

"And the bad news?" the blond asked, almost unable to keep the childish grin off his face.

"You can't pretend it is serious enough for you to not be able to walk."

"You could walk the whole time?!" The painted cheeked boy hit the prince upside the head with a growl.

"Would you quit hitting me!" The prince pouted, rubbing his head. The redhead chuckled softly, trying to hide it behind a hand.

"You're the only person I know who is actually willing to hit him," the fourth boy finally spoke up. "At least we know you can walk on it. And keep it down." He jutted his chin towards Sasuke.  
The boys looked at Sasuke then back at Kabuto, except the prince who kept his gaze fixed on Sasuke.

"Who is that Kabuto?" he asked.

"An injured soldier," Kabuto answered. "And he needs all the rest he can get to recover."

"What happened to him?" Naruto asked softly, pushing off the table he was sitting on. He was not allowed on the front lines. He rarely saw the effects of the war raging behind the castle walls but he knew it was brutal. He started to walk over to the soldier but Kabuto stopped him with a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Your highness please don't disturb him," Kabuto pleaded lightly.

"Leave him alone, Naruto," the fourth boy said. "Clearly, he's asleep." Kiba grabbed Naruto's arm.

"We have to get back before your mom sees your ankle," he said. "I don't wanna hear the 'you hurt my baby boy' speech again." The prince hesitated for a moment before turning away.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said softly still looking at the sleeping soldier. He only turned away when he felt the redhead gently touch his shoulder.

"Send him flowers later," he teased softly. Naruto's cheeks pinkened for a moment then he started to laugh. The group of boys finally left the room but not without the prince giving one more look over his shoulder at the boy. Once all four boys were gone, Kabuto let out another sigh, picking up a clipboard. Sasuke groaned softly, finally opening his eyes once he realized it was just him and the doctor.

"Oh, you're awake," Kabuto said, looking up from the clipboard. "Did they wake you? I'm sorry about that." He moved toward Sasuke to help him sit up a little bit.

"No," Sasuke grunted. "It's fine," he stared at the door. "So that's the prince."

"Yes," Kabuto poured out a glass of water and handed it to Sasuke. "He and his friends have a habit of causing trouble around the castle and getting 'hurt'," he rolled his eyes. Sasuke's teeth clenched. His fingers tightened around the glass in his hand.

"Sounds like a great life of privilege," he muttered. "Going to the infirmary for a rolled ankle." He recalled the times he rolled his own ankle, recalled how he was told to just walk it off, and get back to training. He took an angry sip of his water and let out a small pained grunt. Kabuto watched him for a moment. Sasuke glared at him from the corner of his eyes before setting his cup down.

"When can I start this therapy. I can't wait two years." He said sharply.

"You're still bleeding," the doctor said incredulously. "You're getting your bandages re-wrapped at the most right now! You try to move that arm even a little right now and you could render it useless for life." Already impatient, Sasuke let out another grunt.

"Can I at least walk around the room?" he asked. "My legs are still fine, aren't they?" Kabuto sighed, looking down at the boy's legs.

"Fine," He conceded. "But don't—"

"Move my arm," Sasuke growled, already throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. "I'm a soldier. I know how to take orders," he grumbled. Kabuto shook his head as he rounded the bed to help Sasuke on to his feet. Once he was standing, Sasuke stretched his legs. He started moving around, being very careful not to move his arm.

"Other than your arm," Kabuto said, picking up the clipboard again, "how do you feel? What hurts more?" Sasuke thought about the pains in his body as he walked closer to the window he had been staring out earlier.

"My neck and back hurt a little." He paused to consider his body. "There is some strain on the back of my thigh," he said honestly. "But aside from that I'm fine," he frowned, putting his good hand down on the sill of the window. There was a new set of trainees on the field. Their commanding was having a hard time getting them in line. Kabuto nodded, writing it all down.

"I can give you something for that," he hummed. "All of that is an easy fix." He looked up at Sasuke from the clipboard. "I can open the window for you if you want some fresh air."

Sasuke said nothing but nodded and stepped aside as Kabuto approached the window to open it.

"Thanks," he muttered, staring back out at the training field. He watched the unruly trainees for a little while, clicking his teeth softly whenever their commanding officer lost the troop's concentration. He knew he could whip them into elite soldiers in no time. But he was in no mood to deal with young block headed soldiers who knew nothing of what they were getting into. His thoughts drifted back to the privileged prince and his friends. He wagered none of those boys had ever had to dirty their hands outside of their fun and games. He flexed his good hand. It was thickly calloused from years of practice with sword and bow.

Kabuto went back to writing on his clipboard. A few minutes of silence went by before he spoke again.

"You might be getting a roommate tomorrow," he said. "If he survives the intensive surgery he's currently going under." Sasuke kept his eyes out on the field.

"Why wouldn't he survive?" he asked.

"He was in just as bad shape as you," Kabuto hummed. "But he wasn't as strong."

"Don't think I'm going to bond with someone over our injuries."

"This isn't about you making friends," he sighed. "You both need intensive care and keeping you together is just easier for me."

Sasuke grunted, turning back to the window.

"Whatever," He said softly. "Whatever it takes to get me out of here."

Kabuto looked up at him.

"You're very restless," he muttered, already sounding annoyed. He thought for a moment. "We can't start your therapy but it seems walking around the room isn't enough for you." He nodded for Sasuke to follow him. He strode out of the room, leaving Sasuke to catch up. Sasuke's brow furrowed and he hesitated for a second before following the doctor. Kabuto led him down the hall, through a set of doors that led to a courtyard. "You are free to move around here as long as you are careful about your arm. This is just about as much freedom and fresh air as I am allowed to give you."

"Thank you," Sasuke said softly. He stepped through the doorway to the courtyard into the small open space. He could make do with this. His other arm was perfectly fine. He was already starting to wonder if he could get his hands on a sword from the trainer so he could at least keep up his footwork and not let his other arm atrophy. He was curious to know who his roommate was going to be. He hoped they wouldn't be too annoying if they were going to be lumped together.

"I'll be back in the room if you need anything," Kabuto said. "But if you aren't back in a few hours, I'll bring your next medication dosage out here for you," Sasuke muttered another thanks and Kabuto disappeared back inside. Sasuke took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. Flying around in a circle above the courtyard was a hawk. He squinted against the bright sky to see the creature better. He realized: it was not any old hawk, but his own. Some sense of relief washed over him to know she was still around.

The bird let out an excited screech, diving for her master. But the arm he usually let her land on was the busted one. His eyes widened when he saw her make a move for him.

"Wait, Senu" He tried to call out. But she was already too close. She tried to pull up, circling just in time so she could land on his head instead. Her talons dug into his skin causing him to wince. He chuckled reaching up with his good hand to pet her hand. She leaned down to grab his hair with her beak and tug slightly, her way of telling him that they had to leave and go do things. "I can't leave yet," he said. "I have to recover first." She tilted her head down to look at him, nuzzled his cheek, and trilled softly.

"I know I know," he smiled. "I don't like sitting either," he sighed. "But if I don't I'll never get to leave."

"And we don't want that," a soft voice said from the doorway behind him. He turned on the ball of his foot, his companion holding on to him as he spun.

"Mother," he gasped.

"Oh, Sasuke," she sighed, looking over his injuries as she approached him. She cupped his face tilting it this way and that. Then she circled him to see the damage before taking his face in her hands again. "When Kakashi came to see me, I thought I lost you," she frowned. He leaned his face into her hand, lifting his own to press over her's.

"Have more faith in me, mother," he chuckled. "It's just a few scratches." His mother's lips pressed into a thin line. She pinched his cheek hard.

"You and your brother are the reason my hair is greying so quickly. I wish you two had picked something safer," her eyes softened into worry.

"I wasn't meant for the life of being some privileged prince's lackey," he said. "You know we were born to fight."

"When your father said that, he meant against bullies," she scoffed. "Not in a war."

"Is there much of a difference?" he smirked. A soft smile appeared on her lips and her hand on his face gently caressed his cheek then gripped his ear hard. "Don't make me break your other arm," she said sweetly. Sasuke laughed tightly, trying to wiggle away from his mother's harsh grip. Above him, his hawk cawed in a way that made sure he knew she was laughing at him.

"Nice to know whose side you're on," Sasuke smirked, looking up at her.

"Did the doctor say how long it will take you to recover?" She asked him. Sasuke's frown returned.

"About two years," he sighed.

"Then maybe being a prince's lackey is exactly what you need," his mother said firmly.

"But, Mother—"

"You're not exactly in a position to argue with me," she cut him off. Sasuke sighed, taking a moment to rethink his smartass response over.

"I...would rather not," he said. "I can't spend two years around someone like that."

"You haven't even met him," she frowned. "You have no idea what he's truly like aside from being a prince." His lips twisted into a childish pout.

"I can tell he knows nothing of the world's hardships. He sheltered and—"

"Did I raise such a judgemental and close-minded child?" Mikoto glared at him disappointedly. "I have served Queen Kushina since before you were born. If that child is anything like his mother, he is a good man," she said sharply. "I just want to know you are safe," her voice softened. "You're still my baby boy." He stared back at her. He could tell she was not giving him much of a choice. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Can I at least start my therapy before I get sent to be a lackey?" he asked. If he could be in better physical health before then, maybe he could skip having to serve the prince and go right back to being a soldier.

"Of course," Mikoto smirked. "But two years is a long time my dear son. And I won't have you back in the field any time soon if I can help it," she kissed his cheek. Sasuke sighed heavily.

"Of course," he said softly.

"Now, I must get back but I will be down to check on you every now and then," she told him. She gave him one more kiss on the cheek and pet Senu who was still on his head then left the courtyard. Once she was gone, he sighed heavily, finding a spot to sit down. Let his mind drift, contemplating his life. He winced trying, to get comfortable while Senu landed on his bent knees.

"I have to get out of here," he groaned, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"Enjoying yourself out here?" The doctor smirked. He glanced at the bird then looked back at Sasuke.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted softly, pushing up to reach out with his good hand so he could take the medication. "Beats being stuck inside," Sasuke muttered, "with the smell of sick surrounding me."

"You go nose blind to it after a while," Kabuto hummed. "Did your mother come out here? She came to the infirmary looking for you. She left before I could tell her where you were. I just want to know if she found you."

"Mother has this uncanny ability to always find her sons," Sasuke grumbled but his smile gave away how he was really feeling.

"I hear most mothers are very keen to their children," Kabuto looked up at the sky as he stood. "Well, do try to come in before it gets too dark. You need your rest in order to recover."

Sasuke looked up at the sky and noticed it was getting darker.

"Right," he muttered. He tapped his hawk on the head gently and she jumped off of him. Kabuto stayed nearby, in case he needed help. With a grunt, Sasuke got up.

"The chefs brought your dinner not too long ago," he said. "It should still be hot."

"The royal chefs cook for the injured too?" Sasuke said with a slightly amused scoff.

"Queen Kushina was very adamant that the injured get treated well."

"I see," he was rarely anywhere near the medical bases or field medics so he had no clue how well the injured were treated. He was never counted among them. He and his brother had been raised to be the best of the best. He started for the door but then quickly realized he didn't quite remember how to get back to the infirmary. His hesitation was enough for Kabuto to pull ahead with a chuckled that grated on the soldier's nerves.

Kabuto led him back to the room easily. Once they entered, he pointed to the food next to Sasuke's bed. "Hope you like tomato-based food," he chuckled.

"Tomatoes...," a smile pulled at his lips. "I think I'll manage," he said crawling on to the bed. Kabuto placed the tray the food was settled on down on the bed to make it easier for him to reach.

"Are you right-handed or left-handed?" Kabuto asked him.

"Ambidextrous," he responded, reaching for his fork. "I trained to use both of my hands in case of...well," he glanced at his arm in distaste.

"This must have been a common injury years ago then," Kabuto smirked. He filled a glass with water and poured a cup of tea then placed both of them on the tray for him. "For as bad as your injury is, it—fortunately—isn't bad enough to need any surgery." He moved over to a desk to write a few things down. "No one ever wants to go under the knife with our surgeon."

Sasuke reached for the cup of tea then stopped short. He paused trying to think if he had ever heard stories about their surgeon. He knew he was good. None of the men who came back from surgery ever had major complications or even severe scarring.

"Why not?" he finally asked after setting the cup down.

"He tends to weird people out," Kabuto hummed, not looking up from his work. "Great surgeon, very smart man. Just weird. It makes people uneasy being operated on by someone that odd."

"Odd," he repeated the word. He had a high tolerance for the weird and strange oddly enough. But he could not help but to wonder how 'odd' this man had to be for so many to be uneased by him. He thought of his own brother and other high ranking soldiers. They all had strange or intense quirks. "Smart people tend to be miss understood," he said digging into his dinner. It tasted as amazing as it looked. Exactly what one would expect from the royal kitchen. It pissed him off to think that that blonde prince spent his days eating like this when he knew for a fact that most of the poor and those on the battlefield were eating tasteless rations.

"I think the same thing," Kabuto said. "I am not so ordinary myself." He looked up from his work for a moment and noted the look of bliss on his patient's face from the food. "I take it you like it," he chuckled softly. "I'll try to remember that when they ask me what the patients want."

Sasuke grunted his thanks, continuing to eat. His head was starting to spin a little. He felt like he had been dropped into a sort of weird play and he was meeting the new cast to his life. He was already getting the itch to be back on the fields with Kakashi. Once he was finished with both the tea and food he set the tray back down on the side table with his good arm.

"I'm going to sleep," he said bluntly. Kabuto nodded, getting up to take the tray away from him. He placed the glass of water on the bedside table and stepped away.

"Goodnight," he said. He walked out of the room, turning the light off on his way out.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

'_Finally_,' the prince thought, peeking around the corner down the hall that led to the infirmary. He had been trying for a week to slip back down to the part of the castle since he had come in with his rolled ankle. It was perfectly healed now and there was nothing wrong with him. He just needed to see that soldier again.

Kabuto was coming up the hall, his face practically plastered to his clipboard, as he was writing something down. He looked up for a brief second noting Naruto immediately.

"How's your ankle?" he smirked. "Did Kiba 'break' something else?"

"You know I heal fast," Naruto grinned, stuck his leg forward to roll the previously injured joint. "I just came down to..." he paused realizing he had not thought this far ahead. "Uh...I just wanted to visit the infirmary. I'm allowed down here when I'm not hurt right?" He chuckled a little nervously, rubbing the back of his neck and lowering his leg back down.

Kabuto's brow furrowed.

"I, uh...I suppose you could. I mean, who am I to argue with the prince?" he shrugged. "Just...please try not to disturb the patients too much."

"Alright!" The blond's grin was back full force. He immediately started down the hall then stopped short, twisting his torso around. "How...how is that guy who came in the other day?"

"Hm?" Kabuto hummed, flipping a page over on his clipboard. "The one with the dead arm or the one with the dead leg?"

"The...dark-haired one," Naruto said.

"Sasuke...he's doing better."

"Sasuke," Naruto said his name thoughtfully. "So that's his name," he smiled, nodding. "Thanks, Kabuto," he bolted for the infirmary doors. Kabuto called something after him but he slipped into the room, ignoring whatever the doctor was trying to tell him.

Sasuke was standing at the window, staring at the training fields with a cup of tea in his hand. He took a sip of his tea, growling softly at how the trainees were no different than they were a week before.

"Pathetic," he mumbled to himself very softly as he watched them fuck up an easy formation.

"They are pretty bad this year," Naruto crept up behind the other man and leaned over him to peer out the window. He winced watching one of the trainees hit the ground hard but the wince became very real when he felt an elbow lodge itself deep in his lower stomach. "Holy..." he wheezed, looking down a Sasuke who's eyes were wide.

"I know you're a prince," Sasuke started, "but you shouldn't sneak up on people." He picked up his tea from the windowsill. "Especially a soldier," he added. He turned to fully face Naruto. "Sorry." He said it out of courtesy but hardly meant it.

"Right," Naruto laughed through a hard wheeze. "I'll try to remember that," he straightened out, rubbing his stomach. "Your name is Sasuke right?" he tried for a smooth grin. "What uh...happened to your arm?" he asked curiously. "Is it...really dead?"

Sasuke looked down at his arm. "Just about," he muttered. "I can't move it at all. Something about it falling off or something." He sipped his tea again. "I was stomped on by a warhorse."

"And you survived?" Naruto gasped, his eyes going wide.

Sasuke nodded. He realized this boy had probably not heard any war stories which would explain the childish look on his face.

"That's," Naruto paused once more. He took in the handsome soldier in front of him. "You're not going back out there are you?" He blurted out. Sasuke snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Of course I am!" he grumbled. "What use am I here, hiding in the castle," his brows frowned. "Who else is going to protect your little sanctuary?" he said bitterly. Naruto frowned, taking half a step back at the bitter tone. "But you almost died..." he said softly. "I'm not much of a supporter of the war. I'd rather no one have to do that. There are other things you can do that don't put your life on the line."

"Tch," Sasuke's nose wrinkled at the mere suggestion. "Not all of us are built to stand by or have the option to indulge in being a pacifist," he sipped his tea again.

"Yeah but," Naruto pressed on. "_You_ don't have to," he tried to catch the other man's eyes. He really didn't like the war. Neither did his father for that matter but it was apparently going to happen sooner or later and all they could do was hope to win it or put a stop to it diplomatically.

Sasuke looked at him.

"I know nothing else," Sasuke said. He thought back to what his mother told him about being this man's lackey and held back a scoff at the idea.

"If it's all you know then maybe you need to consider learning something new," Naruto chuckled, trying to dispel some of the sudden tension. "We're about the same age right?"

"I'd say so," Sasuke hummed, finishing his tea and setting it down. "What are you doing down here?" he squinted at the other man, starting to get a little irritated his peace and quiet was being interrupted. "Are you hurt again?"

"I thought so," he smiled wider. "Well I figured you would get pretty bored down here by yourself so," there was a mischievous glint in his eye. "Wanna go exploring?" Sasuke did his best to hide his interest. It had only been a day since he had been given permission to wander the courtyard and he wasn't sure how much of this sheltered prince he could take. After a moment of hesitation, he sighed.

"Sure," he said, stepping toward his bedside table and taking his medications quickly. "Why not?"

Naruto opened his mouth, prepared to reason with the soldier and try to convince him that it was a good idea to escape when the words hit him. His face light up.

"That's what I'm talking about!" He grinned. "Ol' Kabuto won't even notice you are gone!" He laughed grabbing Sasuke's good arm and tugging him towards the door.

Sasuke grunted softly at suddenly being touched and pulled. Once they were out of the room and down the hall, he pulled his arm away. "I can just follow you," he said. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere you want," Naruto grinned, not bothered by the other man's yank. "Haven't you ever been curious about the castle?" Sasuke looked around for a moment.

"Never something that has plagued my mind," he hummed. "I've been here a few times. My mother serves the queen." Naruto stopped dead in the hallway. His gasp echoed loudly off the walls.

"I thought you looked familiar!" He started to giggle. "You look just like her. She's beautiful," he said softly. "I love Mikoto!" his smile shifted to something fonder and soft. "She used to tell me stories about her sons." Big blue eyes suddenly pinned Sasuke.

"She...did?" he muttered. "Interesting." He made a mental note to ask his mother later what potentially embarrassing things about himself she might have told the prince.

"I suppose I could let you give me a tour of the castle," he hummed. "I have only been to a few places. Show me...where you tend to spend most of your time with your friends," he said. '_So I know to avoid it,_' he thought.

"Where I spend most of my time," Naruto hummed in thought. "Okay," he flashed him a big smile, reaching to take Sasuke's hand but Sasuke curled his fingers. He pulled his arm away, giving Naruto a hard look. Naruto retracted his hand and smiled. "Let's go."Sasuke nodded

Naruto turned, leading him up to the main level of the castle. There were multiple servants and other forms of help walking around freely, getting tasks done and mingling among one another in soft voices. Sasuke looked around, slightly surprised that so many people made little noise in the castle. He was led through the kitchen where more servants were working on different tasks and the chefs were preparing the menus for the upcoming week.

"Seems like this place never sleeps," he muttered, noticing how everyone moved around like they were in a big city and not some castle.

"It doesn't," Naruto said over his shoulder. They turned down another hall which opened up to massive windows on one side of the hall. On the other wall, paintings went from the floor too nearly the ceiling. Sasuke frowned, refusing to be in awe. He looked around at the details of the hall as they walked down, keeping his thoughts to himself in silent irritated fascination of it all. It was beautiful but he could not get over how the opulence simply felt wasteful.

The hall was long and had a nice panoramic view of everything behind the castle. Sasuke rolled his eyes a little, wondering if the view in the back was to distract them about the war going on in the front.

"We're here," Naruto announced, stopping suddenly. Sasuke almost bumped into him but caught himself quickly. He looked up at the massive ornate wooden doors Naruto was gently pushing open. The smell of parchment and ink tickled his nose.

"The library?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"You sound a little shocked," Naruto chuckled, allowing him to step in first. "Yes, the library."

"Didn't think..."

"I could read?" Naruto smirked. Sasuke looked away.

"My apologies, my lord," he said softly.

"I'm a prince," Naruto chuckled. "Of course, I had to learn all of this stuff. Can't say it's my favorite thing but I do know it."

"If it isn't your favorite thing then why is the library your favorite place?" Sasuke asked.

"There's not too many people in here like in the rest of the castle so my friends and I can hang out freely."

Sasuke snorted softly. Of course, this privileged child would use the most renowned library in their kingdom to 'hangout.' The prince led him further into the cozy but beautiful library. There didn't seem to be a shortage of nooks and crannies for someone to curl up and disappear into. Begrudgingly, Sasuke admitted to himself he felt a serenity wash over him in the quietness. It was different from the infirmary. The smell of old parchment and wood was soothing to his senses. Naruto smiled at him over his shoulder as he led him between high reaching bookshelves to an open sitting area.

'_It's amazing to see someone smile so much,_' Sasuke forced himself not to roll his eyes.

"Heeey, you finally made it!" The boys from their first encounter were all lounging in various comfortable seats in a tucked-away corner.

"Of course," Naruto grinned, fist-bumping each of them.

"And you made a new friend," Kiba chuckled, noticing Sasuke.

Sasuke gave them a polite nod. He did not want to be around these guys for too long. One of the boys furrowed their brows at him as if sizing him up. "Aren't you the soldier from the infirmary?" he asked.

"One of them," Sasuke said.

"Are you replacing us?" Kiba joked.

"Just you," Naruto grinned, climbing into his designated comfy spot. "Sasuke this mangy mutt is Kiba, the old man over there is Shikamaru," Kiba was trying to climb on top of Naruto to wrap his hands around the blond's throat. The 'old man' was the darker haired boy who hadn't spoken much back in the infirmary. He nodded silently to Sasuke.

"So your name is Sasuke..." Kiba hummed. "Sounds familiar."

"Mikoto is his mother," Naruto grinned. Sasuke let out a soft sigh. These boys knew his mother as well. All three boys' faces lit up.

"Oh, so you are her younger son!" The boy with the red hair spoke up. His voice was rough but soft and strangely pleasant. Sasuke suppressed a twitch of his eye and nodded. "Gaara, by the way." Again Sasuke nodded, making it as close to a bow as he was willing.

"My mother...Has always been very proud of my brother and I," Sasuke relented. "Do you all live here?"

"For the most part," Kiba shrugged. "We have homes but we mostly stay here."

"Because they love me," Naruto grinned wide.

"Because he doesn't let us go," Shikamaru chimed in.

"Hmph," Sasuke snorted. "Sounds like something a prince would do," he folded his arms. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He mirrored Sasuke by folding his arms.

"You'd probably banish them or something if they didn't stay when you wanted them," he said.

"Whoa, no," Kiba interjected. "We definitely stay by choice."

"I'd never force people to do what they don't want to do," Naruto said.

"And even if he was the type," Shikamaru drawled. "Those were some pretty big words from an injured soldier. Sasuke sniffed, rolling his eyes minutely.

"After what I've seen in my life," he leveled Shikamaru with a flat, hard glare. "Very little phases me."

"You wanna tone down the intensity?" Kiba grumbled.

"Sasuke," Gaara spoke up softly next to him. "You can relax here. This is the castle and—"

"My people are the reason you have this slice of sanctuary," Sasuke snapped.

"You really want to hang out with this guy?" Kiba muttered softly to Naruto.

"You speak like you were forced into being a soldier," Shikamaru said. "But you have a choice. Should we thank you for your service? Is that what you want?" The conversation was escalating quickly. Sasuke could feel a heat rising in his chest. He found himself fighting against a lot of urges and he was not sure how much longer he could keep that up.

"The 'choice' is a joke," Sasuke turned to leave. "I'm going back to the infirmary," he said flatly. He couldn't be around these pampered posh nobles. It grated into his nerves like nothing else. He ignored the sound of someone struggling to get up quickly to follow after him.

"Come on," Naruto started to jog a little to catch up to the other man. "They were just testing their limits," he tried to reason with Sasuke. Sasuke clicked his tongue and in the silence of the hall it echoed off the ceiling. Sasuke stopped short suddenly, turning around so quickly that Naruto bumped into him.

"I don't know what I hate more: the way you are groveling right now or the way you four just make assumptions about people!"

"We weren't making assumptions about you," Naruto defending, trying his best to relieve the tension between them. "I get that you're not a fan of the royal or noble but we'd never intentionally disrespect you."

"Your friends sure aren't doing a great job of that."

"Well you...are coming off a little uh...rough," Naruto rubbed the back of his head. Sasuke's lip curled. He has always been rough.

"I need space," he muttered turning on his foot to continue down the hall.

Naruto frowned, watching Sasuke walk away.

"But..." he said softly, lifting his hand to reach for Sasuke as he walked further away. He let out a heavy sigh and ran his hand through his hair then down his face once Sasuke was out of sight. He was going to try again tomorrow and not get his friends involved. He waited for a few moments before turning and heading back into the library, taking a seat with his friends.

"No luck getting him back?" Gaara asked. Naruto said nothing just shaking his head.

"The guy's probably never had friends before," Kiba said. "Being a soldier and all."

"But that doesn't mean he should lack decency towards others," Shikamaru said, leaning back and closing his eyes. "There was no reason for him to snap about being the reason we get to enjoy being here as if he knows us."

"But..." Naruto sunk into his seat again, leaning into Gaara this time. "I think he's right in a way." The three others gave him a muted look of shock.

"How so?" Kiba raised an eyebrow.

"Well, none of us are soldiers and none of us have ever been to the front lines but he...he has," his voice softened.

"He can call the choice a joke all he wants," Shikamaru said, "but he _chose_ that life. There was never a draft. Our military is all volunteers."

"We are at war though," Kiba said. "Maybe his anger just stems from that."

"Still doesn't justify his assholery."

"I'm sure he just needs to adjust," Gaara spoke up. "It's hard to suddenly go from the only thing you know to nothing," he nestled a pillow between him and Naruto to make the prince more comfortable. "Not to mention his arm is mangled. Pain can make you angry."

"I suppose," Shikamaru shrugged.

"He'll come around eventually," Kiba reassured Naruto. Naruto let out a heavy sigh.

Sasuke continued down, trying to remember all the turns the prince took. The castle was unnecessarily vast and to busy for Sasuke's liking. He bypassed the hall that led to the infirmary. He was heading for the courtyard. He needed to clear his head. Just a little fresh air and some quality time with his hawk.

He stepped outside into the courtyard and Senu immediately dove for him. He put his good arm out, feeling off about using the oppisite arm for his bird to land on. She made a happy noise and he could not help but smile. He took a seat on the nearest bench, letting her rest in his lap so he could scratch her head. He relaxed, feeling the tension in his back release.

"I don't think I could ever be friends with people like them," he told Senu softly. The bird made a soft noise and Sasuke chuckled. "Okay, I've never been good at making friends." She nuzzled her head against his hand and made another soft noise. "Yes, yes, you're my only friend and I only need you," he grinned.

"You talk to your bird," Kabuto's voice said behind him. "Cute." Sasuke's body jumped slightly. He looked behind him to see the doctor walking towards him. "If you're hungry, your food has been brought down." Sasuke gave him a nod and without another word, Kabuto turned to leave. Sasuke and Senu stared at each other for a moment.

"Neither of us liked that," he nodded. The bird mimicked his action. He chuckled softly then shifted the large bird on his lap. He groaned softly feeling a pulse of pain from his shoulder. He sat with Senu for a little while longer, deliberating how hungry he was. He decided that when his stomach growls made his companion jump a little it was time to go in.

She chirped and flew away, heading back to the sky until he came back out. Sasuke sighed as he stood up then made his way back to the infirmary. When he returned, Kabuto looked up at him from his desk.

"You came back earlier than I expected," he said. He gestured toward the food on the table next to his bed. "It's still hot." Sasuke walked over to the table silently to pick up the food.

"We'll change your bandages later tonight before you go to sleep," Kabuto said watching the younger man. Sasuke nodded but did not answer. Kabuto tried not to stare at him too much but he knew something was wrong with the soldier. He waited until Sasuke was mostly finished with his food to say anything. "I noticed you were gone for a while...but not in the courtyard," he started. "Did the prince come and bother you?" Sasuke nodded as he carried his food back to his cot.

"He introduced me to the gaggle of..." he stopped to consider his words for a moment.

"Idiots?" Kabuto offered. Sasuke snorted, finally cracking a smile.

"You said it not me," he smirked, taking a bite of his food. "But that is pretty accurate.

"They've been friends for so long, they're all practically brothers so they stick together very closely," Kabuto said. "You almost never see the prince without them."

"I will try to avoid all of them if I can," Sasuke muttered.

"It will be amusing to see you attempt," Kabuto chuckled. "The prince is very charismatic."

"So are a lot of people. My will is pretty strong," Sasuke retorted.

"Clearly, seeing as your will is what kept you alive after your accident," Kabuto hummed. He poured a cup of tea and a glass of water and set them in front of Sasuke along with his medications. Sasuke grunted, taking the medication first then washed the flavor out with the tea.

"When can we start my rehabilitation?" He asked seriously.

"Not for a while and you know that," Kabuto's lips pulled back in amusement. "You've only been here a week."

"That doesn't answer my question," Sasuke glared at the doctor.

"Your arm is still in a stage where if you move it, it's permanently damaged," Kabuto answered. "Once it is a bit more healed and isn't causing you immense pain and you don't need to be heavily medicated anymore then we can start your rehab."

The soldier ground his teeth, fighting the urge to bounce his leg. He was restless again. But he could not deny the incessant, nagging pain in his arm.

"Fine," he huffed. Kabuto chuckled, folding his arms.

"It will pass in no time," he told him. "Especially if the prince is interested in you."

"That only sounds like it will take longer," Sasuke muttered. "I don't need him distracting me from getting better."

"Suit yourself," Kabuto shrugged. "Just tell me when you are finished," he told him. "I'll be in the back office." Sasuke nodded and Kabuto retreated into the office. He took his time finishing his food and tea then drank his water. With a sigh, he got up to go to the office, alerting Kabuto he was finished.

"Done so soon," Kabuto looked up from the chart he was going over. "Have a seat behind me," he told him as he got up to grab everything he needed to treat the younger man. Sasuke did as he was told.

He watched as Kabuto moved around to grab everything and set them down on the table next to him. "Brace yourself," he said quietly as he started to unwrap the old bandages very slowly.

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he felt the fabric peel away from the raw edges of his wound. He strained his eyes to look down at it without moving too much. It was far worse than he thought it was. He swallowed a gag, forcing himself to keep his face blank. Kabuto watched the soldier's silent struggle.

"I know you were trained not to express pain," he said quietly. "But sometimes it's healthy to do so." Kabuto began to clean the wound as gently as he could manage. Sasuke grunted softly, refusing to truly express the pain he was in. Kabuto shook his head but did not press Sasuke beyond that. Instead, he decided to ask some questions to try and distract from the pain. "So your mother works for the queen," he started. Sasuke nodded stiffly. "Is you brother also in the castle or-"

"He's also a soldier," Sasuke pushed out through grinding teeth.

"Mm, I can't imagine how hard that must be on your mother," Kabuto hummed, "both her sons' soldiers in the war. I'm sure she wished you both stayed here."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted softly. "My brother is more likely to come back," he muttered. "Or at least was." he corrected himself, glancing at the wound as Kabuto gently began to re-dress it.

"I'm sure your mother would prefer both of you came back. Definitely under different circumstances than this." He took his time redressing the wound, once again being as careful as possible. Once he was finished, he took a step back and poured a glass of water for Sasuke. "You're all done now."

"Thanks," he said, taking the glass of water. He turned his head to survey Kabuto's work. The medication was kicking back in so he was in less pain and the bandages were not bleeding as through as quickly, so he deemed himself well on the way to recovery. He looked down at his good hand and flexed his fingers. "I can't use this arm," he jerked his head towards the injured side. "but can I at least get a practice sword to upkeep the good one?"

Kabuto hummed in thought for a moment. "I don't see why not," he muttered. "You did ask for that earlier. I'll see about having a couple of them brought down here later. " Sasuke suppressed the gasp of shock itching to escape his throat. He hadn't expected the doctor to give his approval. He looked up at the man with eyes wider than his usual glare. That was enough to make Kabuto chuckle.

"Just don't go overboard or you might wind up with two broken arms. Then you'll definitely be meeting the surgeon."

"I know, I know," Sasuke sighed softly. "I won't overexert myself. I just need to keep my abilities up and—"

"Keep moving around, I know," Kabuto chuckled. "You're antsy, I get it." Sasuke stood up, hiding a crack of a smile from the doctor as he turned to leave.

"Goodnight," he said as he left the room. Kabuto nodded, waving him off, already returning to his paperwork. Sasuke went back to his room and noticed there was still tea in the kettle. He poured himself one more cup then maneuvered himself into his bed as painlessly as he could. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back against his pillows and thought about how he was going to try to speed up his own recovery. Before he realized it, he had drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning Sasuke groaned softly. He felt like he was slowly surfacing in a pool. Kabuto's voice had penetrated his dreams but he could not make out what he was saying beyond that he was talking to someone. It sounded like a bunch of muffled speech with a few barely-intelligible words.

"No...surgery..." he heard Kabuto. His face scrunched up a little in his sleep as he slowly woke up, groaning very softly. There was a soft, raspy voice that answered followed by footsteps that got a little too close for comfort. He could feel that _someone _right behind him. His entire body tensed up when he felt said someone brush a piece of his hair back and touched his shoulder. His shoulder protested being so tense as he fought his instinct to cut the person's handoff.

"He's in better shape than I expected," the raspy voice noted.

"Well," Kabuto shrugged. "He's a soldier. And he's eager to start his rehab," he chuckled.

"I could only imagine," the voice laughed again. "You can wake up now." It teased. His eyes snapped open then settle into a glare. He did not like that this man could tell he was awake so easily.

"Good morning," Kabuto smirked from the other side of the room. He pushed a cart over with Sasuke's breakfast on it. "This was only brought down a few minutes ago." He helped Sasuke to sit up and the second person rounded the bed to look at him face-on.

Sasuke looked at the food as he slowly eased himself up to rest on the pillows Kabuto had fluffed behind him.

"You were right Kabuto he really does look like his mother," the voice finally drew Sasuke's dark eyes. He was...nothing like what Sasuke had expected.

He was almost sure that the man in front of him was a woman.

"But his demeanor is all his father," Kabuto smirked.

"I can see that," the new man said.

"You knew my father?" the mention of the man knocked Sasuke out of his observations. The man's pale lips pulled into a smile that would have man a lesser man shudder.

"Of course I did," he chuckled. "He was a good man, rough around the edges. We rarely got along," his grin shifted to a smirk. Sasuke's brow furrowed.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Maybe you should eat first," Kabuto interjected. "So you can take your medications."

"Nonsense, Kabuto," the other man chuckled. "I can talk to him while he eats." He looked at Sasuke. "I'm Orochimaru. I'm the surgeon here."

"Orochimaru," Sasuke felt the name out in his mouth. It sounded familiar but he could not place why at the moment. "I suppose it is nice to meet you."

"It's only nice because you aren't on my table yet," Orochimaru chuckled. "But it is nice to meet you none the less. How is your brother?"

"He's doing well from the last I saw of him," Sasuke muttered. "Better than I am doing right now, that's for sure."

"But you are doing pretty well," Kabuto assured him.

"I won't be well until I can move this arm again," Sasuke grumbled irritably.

"Count yourself lucky you aren't that young man over there," Orochimaru smirked, looking back at the new body taking up a bed.

'_So that's my new roommate?_' Sasuke thought.

"What happened to him?" Sasuke asked.

"His whole body, not just his arm, was practically mangled after an accident on the battlefield," Orochimaru explained. "It's a miracle he's still alive." Sasuke's good hand gripped his sheets tightly. His eyes did not look away from the other man.

"His name?" He needed to know if this was one of his men. It didn't actually matter. He just needed to know.

"Suigetsu Hozuki," Orochimaru informed him.

"Suigetsu..." he whispered. He had heard the name before but he did not actually know the man. The newly named man alerted them to his consciouses with a soft groan from his bed.

"Oh, you're awake now too?" Kabuto smirked, pushing another cart of food toward him. "You're going to need help eating," he muttered softly.

"Don't feed him yet," Orochimaru's tone was casual but it was clearly an order. "Tea first." Kabuto pauses and moved to help the thoroughly bandaged man the same way he had helped Sasuke when he first arrived.

"Of course," he replied after setting everything up. Sasuke studied what he could of Suigetsu's face. "I'll send for one of the servants to help you eat after," Kabuto spoke again to the other man. Orochimaru hadn't looked away from Sasuke. Kabuto made the tea for Suigetsu and tried his best to help him drink it without spilling it on him. Suigetsu drank as much as he could and then coughed when he almost choked. "Drink slowly," Kabuto told him.

"I would prefer a straw," Suigetsu said with as much of a chuckle as he could muster. Kabuto refrained from rolling his eyes. He moved back to where they kept the dishes and retrieved a straw.

"Sasuke would you like to go for a walk?" Orochimaru asked.

"A walk?" Sasuke frowned. "I...sure."

"Excellent. We can go find Karin," Orochimaru grinned, standing up. "Do you need help getting dressed?"

"Who?" Sasuke muttered. "No," he answered quickly. "I am fine." Orochimaru nodded and waited patiently for Sasuke to change into his clothes. Once he was ready, they left the room and headed down the hall. Sasuke followed silently, looking around as they walked in a direction he had not gone before. "Who is Karin?" he asked after a few minutes.

"She is a noblewoman," was the simple answer. It was not the response Sasuke was expecting. "She has an interest in our practices," the surgeon added. Orochimaru glanced at Sasuke from the corner of his eye, catching the slight irritation on the boy's face. He smirked slightly then continued. "She used to work as a nurse on the battlefield but a bad accident had her sent back to the castle and now she lends a hand to me and Kabuto in the infirmary when we need her," He elaborated.

"Ah," he said. "Seems everyone has bad accidents and this place ends up being their fate," he muttered bitterly.

"I'd say that's better than dying," Orochimaru hummed. "Wouldn't you?"

A grunt was the only response Orochimaru got from the younger man. Orochimaru turned down another hallway then pushed open a door without hesitation. The strong scent of laundry hit Sasuke first before he saw the long table of women busy folding, washing and hanging linen up to dry. The moment the women noticed the surgeon's presence the bubbly atmosphere dwindle rapidly.

"Dr. Orochimaru," a girl with blond hair was elbowed by another girl with pink hair. She was the sacrificial mouthpiece. Sasuke fought to control his expression. It was caught between wanting to laugh or pinch in irritation.

"Ino," Orochimaru nodded. "Could you direct me to Karin?"

"She is in the next room," Ino answered, pointing to a door that conjoined the room they were in with the next one over. Orochimaru followed the woman's hand and nodded.

"Thank you," he turned and waved for Sasuke, who the woman had not noticed until that moment, to follow. As Sasuke followed Orochimaru through the door, he heard the girls whispering and giggling. He left a trail of swooning and soft gasps in his wake. He rolled his eyes hard as the door closed behind him. He had no interest in a relationship.

"I think they like you," Orochimaru hummed, almost teasing.

"Unfortunate," Sasuke muttered. Orochimaru chuckled, scanning the room for the woman he was looking for when someone walked in through a door with a large tub filled with fresh soapy water. The young woman had the brightest shade of red hair Sasuke had ever seen.

"Dr. Orochimaru," the woman nearly dropped the tub when she noticed him. Sasuke noted the lack of nervousness she had compared to the girls when she pulled herself together. She set the tub down and brushed off her apron. "Did you need help in the surgery?" she asked with thinly veiled hope in her voice.

"Not today," Orochimaru answered. "No one is coming in until tomorrow morning." He sighed heavily as if disappointed in the fact that no one needed surgery. Karin's face fell with him but she perked back up almost instantly.

"What did you need help with then?" she asked brightly. Her eyes flickered to Sasuke and her cheeks immediately turned bright pink. Sasuke tried not to roll his eyes too hard when he noticed her blushing.

"I have a patient that will be requiring your help for a little while," Orochimaru told her. Assuming that he meant Sasuke, Karin let out a small squeal. "Really?" she asked.

"Yes," Orochimaru grinned. Crushing her little flicker of hope was going to be so sweet. "The boy is bedridden and will need someone to do everything for him for a few weeks." Her face fell once more.

"Bedridden?" she pouted. Clearly, the handsome boy behind the surgeon was not bedridden so he was not going to be her patient. "But...do you also require assistance?" she asked, leaning around Orochimaru to boldly speak with Sasuke directly. Her eyes obviously flickered to Sasuke's bandaged arm.

"No," Sasuke answered, "I'm fine."

"This one is a little stubborn," Orochimaru chuckled. "He's getting enough assistance from Kabuto when he needs it."

"I don't need any help and I'm not stubborn," Sasuke grumbled.

"You have a bum arm," the newly faced Karin pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose.

"Plenty of people live one-armed," Sasuke replied dryly.

"Alright children," Orochimaru cut off a retort from Karin. "Let's go. Suigetsu needs to eat his breakfast and I need Sasuke for something down in the barracks. "

"You need me in the barracks?" Sasuke asked.

Karin gathered what she would need to tend to the patient and both of them followed Orochimaru out into the hall and back to Sasuke and Suigetsu's room.

"Ah Karin," Kabuto pulled her into the room. "Just in time! Help this fool eat and then prepare his sponge bath..." the instructions trailed on but Orochimaru and Sasuke did not stick around long enough to hear them all. He took Sasuke's good hand and once more pulled him into the hall. They weaved through the halls of the bustling castle that was still shockingly silent despite all the people.

"Kabuto tells me you are restless," Orochimaru said.

"I am," Sasuke said. "I'm not made to be laying in a bed all day. I refuse to be useless."

"You don't seem the type," he chuckled. "You really are so much like your parents." Sasuke raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Orochimaru led him down to the armory where they could clearly hear the new recruits practicing outside. "Take your pick of blade."

Sasuke looked at the choices he had. He had lost his normal sword during his accident and was sure it was destroyed. Until he could get it reforged, he needed a good replacement. His eyes scanned the blades and he picked them up, testing their weight and how well they sliced through the air. After testing a few, he decided on the one that was as close to his normal sword as he could get.

"That's a rather unusually thin blade," Orochimaru looked it over in Sasuke's hand.

"I prefer it," Sasuke twisted the blade in his grasp. It felt good to have a blade in his hand again. "My blade was even thinner. It lets me move quickly," he said, giving it a few test jabs.

"I see," Orochimaru nodded. "Well, we added a few little surprises for you in the courtyard.

"Surprises?" Sasuke echoed as he followed Orochimaru toward the door. "What kind of surprises?"

"You'll like them," was thee vague response. Sasuke was not particularly fond of surprises. But he was interested to see what they might have done to the courtyard. They made their way back up to the courtyard. From the doorway, Sasuke could easily see a few straw dummies had been set up.

Sasuke could not help but chuckle when he saw the dummies. "They're perfect," he smirked. "They won't talk back when I hit them."

"That sounds like something a serial killer would say," an unfortunately familiar voice said from behind him. Sasuke rolled his eyes hard before turning his head to see Kiba leaning against the wall. He would have deflated but he did not want to make his emotions obvious in front of Orochimaru.

"Have you two met?" Orochimaru asked. "I heard the prince had come to visit you," the older man looked between the boys.

"We have," they both said flatly. Kiba and Sasuke walked towards each other, glaring the other down.

"So I'm to be your babysitter?" Kiba scoffed.

"No," Sasuke snapped. "I don't need one nor want one. What could a pamper castle pooch teach me," his usual monotone caught an edge. Kiba growled, his hand twitching to slap Sasuke.

Orochimaru saw it instantly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Kiba is one of the best swordsmen in the castle," he said. "He might be a good partner to practice with."

"I think I'll be fine on my own," Sasuke dismissed Kiba by turning his back. Kiba ground his teeth and shook Orochimaru's hand off.

"Who would want to help some snarky ungrateful soldier anyway!" Kiba snapped. "I only agreed to this because the prince asked me to!" Sasuke whipped around so fast Kiba nearly lost his nose. The tip of Sasuke's sword was aimed mere centimeters away from the flesh.

"I don't need any handouts from him," Sasuke growled dangerously.

"I'm not a handout," Kiba spat back bravely. His heart was beating a mile a second be he would not give Sasuke the satisfaction. No matter how terrified he actually was.

Orochimaru sighed, feeling like he was breaking up a fight between two little children as he lowered Sasuke's blade from Kiba's face.

"I'm surprised you even made it this far," Kiba bit out with a small quiver to his voice. One he would deny if anyone pointed it out. "I thought soldiers were supposed to be team players!" Kiba scoffed. "But clearly your the type to use your fellow soldiers as fodder!"

Sasuke's whole body twitched to lunge at Kiba but Orochimaru stepped between them. His hand pressed into Sasuke's chest, being careful not to hurt his arm any more than it already was.

"Take that rage out on the dummies," he said lowly. "The straw ones. Not Kiba."

"Hey!" Kiba barked behind them. Sasuke clicked his tongue.

"And you!" Orochimaru's voice stern but his eyes were sharp enough to shut Kiba up instantly. "If you wish to continue to even speak of my daughter let alone be friends with her you will go take a walk, cool off and come back when you can act like an adult!" Both boys sent nasty glares towards each other before backing off.

"Fine!" they both growled.

Kiba huffed and went back inside to go on a short stroll through the castle while Sasuke turned to make his way toward the dummies to start practicing. Orochimaru watched him for a few seconds, wondering if his rage would end up worsening his injury. He lingered on a ledged to watch the boy express his rage. The younger man's silent swings of his blade were only broken by soft, grunts elicited by the effort of swinging the blade hard enough to cut most of the straw dummies in half.

"You are pretty enraged," Orochimaru commented nearly twenty minutes later when Sasuke finally stabbed the sword into the dirt below and leaned back, breathing hard.

"Clearly," Sasuke snarled lowly. "What of it?" Orochimaru chuckled softly.

"Nothing," he said. "Did you get it all out?"

"I can keep going," Sasuke muttered. He was actually pretty fatigued and Orochimaru could see it. That did not mean he would admit it. Not even to himself.

"By all means," Orochimaru smirked. "I'll be sure to drag your ankles on the ground when you can't walk anymore." Sasuke shot him a nasty look. "Or would you prefer I called prince charming to carry you back?" Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I'd rather die," he grumbled. "Than let that guy carry me and play the role of my savior."

"How old are you?" Orochimaru suddenly asked, squinting hard at the younger man.

"Twenty-four why?" Sasuke looked at him confused. Orochimaru nodded sagely.

"Yes that sounds about the right age for grievous over dramatizations," his nods became more confident. Sasuke sucked his teeth as he struck the dummy one more time.

"Whatever," he muttered. "I don't need this from you."

"I haven't done anything to you," Orochimaru smirked. "In fact, I gave you a pretty good outlet for that pent up energy wouldn't you say?" he said looking around the courtyard with unsettling golden eyes. Sasuke took a deep breath then pursed his lips.

"I suppose," he ground out.

"And I haven't even heard a thank you," Orochimaru sighed dramatically followed by a chuckle. "Not that I really wanted one."

"Then why bring it up?" Sasuke grumbled.

"Just to tease you."

Sasuke sucking his teeth again, grabbing for his sword once more when Orochimaru shifted suddenly. Sasuke suppressed a flinch, processing what the man had done before reacting.

"I'll be back with your next round of medication," he said, elegantly flicking his long hair over his shoulder. "Try not to kill any palace pooches or injure your arm any more while I'm gone," he teased. Sasuke sucked his teeth again, grabbing for his sword again when Orochimaru shifted suddenly.

"Where did Orochimaru go?" Kiba asked from the doorway.

"The infirmary," Sasuke growled as he split another dummy down the middle. Kiba watched him in slightly stunned silence.

"Listen..." Kiba said after a few moments. "We don't have to like each other but that wound is pretty nasty and I can understand being restless," he rubbed the back of his head.

Sasuke stopped moving, turning to face him. He waited for the boy to get to his point. But what ever words he seemed to try to string together were suddenly failing him. "Just draw your sword," he finally grumbled. He sighed heavily and grabbed his blade, unsheathing it easily. The two of them walked to the middle of the courtyard for more space. They touched swords before taking a few steps back then launched forward, going at each other.

Sasuke flashed Kiba a grin that would have made him shudder if he had had time to process it. Sasuke moved so quickly and ferociously that the noblemen had little time to do anything aside from defending and reacting. He pushed back against the soldier's blade, feeling his heart race like never before.

"I can see why you were considered one of the best," Kiba breathed out harshly after a few moments. He blocked a hard attack, have to use both hands for it, making him feel a bit inadequate since the attack was only done with one.

"Considered?" Sasuke growled, noting the usage of past tense.

"Considered," Kiba reiterated. "You're not on the battlefield right now are you?"

"How dare you," Sasuke snapped. His attacks came faster now. Kiba now feared for his life. He stumbled backwards, unable to advance on the skilled soldier. Sasuke's blade moved so rapidly and swiftly Kiba was reminded of a humming bird's movements. Sasuke pushed hard into Kiba's raised sword and knocked him to the ground hard, his sword stopped inches from Kiba's throat. Sasuke scoffed, flicking his sword away. "You know nothing."

"That attitude is probably what caused your accident to begin with," Kiba dared to snap. He clenched his sword tightly to hide how badly his hands were shaking. He held his breath trying to get it under control. Before he could process it, the blade in Sasuke's hand was sticking out of the ground just next to his face. His breath hitched, just barely feeling the blade against his skin.

Orochimaru stepped back into the courtyard and sighed heavily at the sight.

"I have your medication," he told Sasuke. Sasuke stared at Kiba with cold fire in his eyes. He ground his teeth hard. Kiba noted that the other man had barely broken a sweat. Through the intense onslaught of attack, there wasn't even a sheen to his skin. Meanwhile, Kiba was a panting puddle. Now he really felt inadequate. Sasuke pulled back, turning without another word to cross the courtyard. He picked up the cup to knock back it's contents. Orochimaru handed him a cup of water.

"Are you done for today or do you still have to let it out?" he asked again, smirking.. Behind Sasuke, Kiba stood up on extremely shaky legs. He put his sword into the ground to help keep himself up.

"I could keep going but I don't feel Like making my only sanctuary smell like a pissing troth," he said without a glance at Kiba.

Kiba growled softly, glaring hard at the back of Sasuke's head. Orochimaru's gaze shifted from Sasuke to Kiba and he nodded when he looked back to Sasuke. "Right then," he said. "Let's go."

Without a word from either man, Sasuke and Orochimaru left the little space to head back to the infirmary.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Neither of the men noticed someone slip around the corner as they disappeared at the other end of the hall. The moment they were out of sight the creeping shadow bolted into the courtyard.

"He's amazing!" Naruto swooned the moment he stepped into the open space.

"I don't think I can do this," was Kiba's shaky reply. He sat down heavily on one of the ledges to wipe his face. He was not going to be able to get those cold eyes out of his head for a while. Sasuke was nothing like any of the trainers he had spared with at the castle before. He was on an entirely different level that made him wonder how fast he would be minced on the real battlefield. It made his already churning stomach want to drop.

"Aw, come on, Kiba," Naruto groaned. "Don't wimp out on me now." The prince was on cloud nine. He had been watching them secretly and never had he seen someone more so ferociously with such unyielding intent. It thrilled him.

"I'm not wimping out," Kiba defended. "I value my life. You saw him," he ran his hands through his hair. "There is no way that injury is as serious as everyone is making out to be! Not with the way he can still move"

"I did," Naruto still had that goofy grin on his face but it faded the moment Kiba brought up the very reason Sasuke was even in the castle. "He did move pretty skillfully." He was hit with a wave of worry that the soldier might have hurt himself further in the spar. With the viciousness of his movements, he could have potentially moved the arm. While the prince loved watching the display of strength he didn't want the other man to stay injured.

"He's insane," Kiba grumbled, drawing the prince's attention back from his thoughts.

"He's just good at what he does," Naruto waved off. "Besides, you could learn a thing or two from him!" Kiba would not admit he had thought the same thing while he was dodging to keep his nose on squarely on his face. He shook his head, looking at the prince's bright blue pleading eyes. "Please Kiba! Just stick it out a little longer!"

"Why don't you do this yourself?" he challenged. "You could work on your swordsmanship too!"

"Because I don't want to fight him," Naruto smirked. "Did you see him? He's too good." Kiba rolled his eyes as he resheathed his sword.

"Whatever," he grumbled. He leaned onto Naruto, his legs were still a little too shaky to hold him up. "Just help me get back to your room." Naruto pulled Kiba's arm over his shoulders to support him. Together they walked down to the baths so the nobleman could rinse off the sweat of his effort.

"How'd it go?" Gaara asked, drying his hair. He and Shikamaru were finishing up their own baths as the pair came in.

"Horrible," Kiba muttered, grabbing a towel and drowning it in a sink before placing the whole thing against his entire face. He let it rest there for a minute.

"It went great, I think," Naruto said. "Kiba's just mad because he went against someone better than him." Kiba sucked his teeth as he bent forward to let the towel drop into his hands.

"Better then Kiba?" Shikamaru laughed. "Who would have thought one of the best soldiers in the king's army could best you Kiba!"

"Shut up!" Kiba snapped. "My life nearly flashed before my eyes!" He started to strip down, throwing his clothes about the bathroom as if it were his own. He stomped over to the bath to run it anew.

"Did you egg him on?" Gaara asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"No, I didn't-" Kiba started, walking over to grab a few oils and bath salts to add to the bath.

"Yes, he did," Naruto cut him off. The prince started to shed his own clothing.

"Not surprising," Shikamaru smirked. "You're really good at that."

"Easily the best antagonizer in the whole kingdom," Gaara agreed. "That's your true talent," he chuckled while wrapping his towel snuggly around his waist.

"Give me a break!" Kiba huffed. "I don't see you two pulling your weight," He moved back over to the hot bath, added the salts then walked into it. He sighed the moment the heat penetrated his sore muscles. He floated to one of the tub's edges to relax.

"I'm not going to go up against a soldier," Gaara chuckled. "I have a child on the way, I'd like to be alive for his birth."

"And I just don't want to," Shikamaru laughed. "The guy's a jerk."

"So shut your mouths!" Kiba clicked his teeth. Naruto rested his hand on his hip, pouting.

"You guys," he huffed. "He's just rough around the edges. Who wouldn't be in his position?" Naruto stepped into the bath to sit opposite Kiba.

"Literally anyone else with a decent attitude?" Shikamaru offered.

"Maybe we can change his attitude," Naruto said.

"As much as I don't like the guy," Kiba started. "I do think he can be changed. He just needs to accept his new surroundings and come to a few terms." Naruto's eyes sparkled with hope.

"Say you'll help me!" Naruto beseeched his other two friends. He batted long eyelashes at them. Gaara and Shikamaru shared a look.

"Are we not good enough friends for you?" Shikamaru asked with a raised eyebrow, turning back to the prince.

"You are!" Naruto grinned. "But you'd be even _better_ friends if you did this for me."

"Do you want _me_ to be the best 'Best Friend' out of the three of us?" Kiba challenged them with a smirk. "You want _me_ to be better than _you_?"

"Don't even try that," Shikamaru waved off the mere suggestion. "We all know Gaara's his actual favorite."

Kiba gasped dramatically, deeply offended. Gaara shrugged then nodded in agreement because it was an undeniable fact. Naruto made no move to deny or confirm the spoken suggestion.

"Whatever," Kiba scoffed as he started to wash himself up. "So what's your next plan to soften up the jerk's attitude?" he asked Naruto.

"Well we could try to bring him around to the library again," Naruto frowned. The four boys pause to look at each other then shook their heads.

"Um... why don't you take him for a walk the grounds?" Gaara suggested. "It's been helping Azumi."

"He can't do too much walking yet," Naruto frowned.

"You don't seriously believe that after what he did today?" Kiba looked at him in disbelief.

"After what he did today he might be on extended bed rest," Naruto huffed. The more he thought about it the more he wanted to go down and check on the man. But he was well aware his little check-in would do little to actually help the man if he had hurt himself further.

"Something tells me today will hardly keep him down," Kiba hummed.

"You should probably get to know him better than just: 'hey I know your mom'," Shikamaru offered. Naruto folded his arms, wagging his head in consideration. He knew his friend was right on that front.

"Ask him more about his childhood," Kiba said. "What he likes to do and his favorite foods." Naruto nodded, adding this to his mental notes.

"Since when are you an expert in getting to know people?" Shikamaru teased.

"Since shut up."

"Mature," Gaara snorted.

"Listen to temper over there. If he can get a girl you can win this jerk off over," Kiba jabbed a thumb towards Gaara. "I second taking him on a walk."

"Temper?" Gaara pursed his lips into a pout. "I don't have a temper!" he grumbled, crossing his arms.

"You have got quite a temper," Shikamaru shrugged, patting Gaara on the back. "But Azumi still loves you," he chuckled. Gaara's face softened instantly at the mention of the mother of his child. He pouted for a little longer then turned to grab two stools for him and Shikamaru.

"I guess you're right," Naruto said. "But I know if I try to initiate getting to know him, he'll continue to shut me down."

"Then keep trying until you break him," Kiba said.

"Ask his mom about him too. You know get a feel for what he likes," Kiba said through a bucket of water over his head. Naruto hummed in thought for a moment.

"I think I will," he said. "But I also don't want to seem like a creep by sounding like I know _too_ much."

"Guess the time has finally come," Shikamaru smirked, taking the offered stool.

"For what?" Naruto asked, confused.

"For you to finally learn some tact and nuance,"

"Hell will freeze over before this idiot could ever manage to learn that," Kiba barked a laugh.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled. He paused for a second. "What's nuance?" he asked Gaara very quietly.

"Subtlety," Gaara whispered back.

"Maybe we should teach him vocabulary first," Kiba said mournfully.

"Your poor parents really wasted such a good education on you," Shikamaru shook his head.

"This is why Gaara's the favorite," Naruto muttered. Kiba finished up his bath and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist as he stepped out. "Anyway, go talk to Mikoto," he said. "Then try again with the stubborn jerk."

"Yeah I guess I'll have to do that," Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. He started to wash up, still thinking about everything. His brain felt like it was working a mile a minute to come up with ways to talk to the soldier again.

"Also your mother wants to speak with you," Gaara added handing the prince a towel when he got out of the bath. Naruto's eyes snapped wide.

"She asked for you earlier but we forgot to tell you," Shikamaru chimed in.

"What the hell guys!" All three of them chuckled softly while Naruto rushed from the room to dress quickly so he could go see his mother.

Down in the infirmary, Sasuke walked out of the doctor's private office to sit on his bed. He sighed heavily as he sunk into its cushion, gently biting his lip when he curled his elbow so his forearm could rest in his lap. Both the surgeon and the doctor had reamed him out about his reckless behavior in the courtyard.

"_If you aren't more careful we will have to strap it to your side,_" Orochimaru told him sternly.

He had thought about how badly he could have damaged it somewhere in the heat of the moment. But the rush of getting to fight again and putting the nobleman on his ass momentarily overshadowed his sensibilities of the long run. It was a release he needed.

Kabuto walk out with a tray of tea and some painkillers for Sasuke and his roommate a few moments later. Sasuke thanked him for both while watching Karin tend to his new roommate. In the time he was gone they seemed to have gotten under each other's skin already. The moaning lump of bandages from earlier now had a hoarse, protesting voice. And his nurse had even less patience then their doctor.

"Can't you at least mix it with some water!" the man snapped.

"No! For the tenth time," Karin growled. "That will just **water it down!**"

"That's what I want," he pouted.

"What you want doesn't matter to me," Karin scoffed. "It's what you _need_ that I'm here for." Sasuke sipped his tea, watching them bicker for a few minutes when Kabuto entered the room. He was ignoring the throbbing pain down his whole right side. The rush from the spar was waring off and building pain was being left in its wake. He winced slightly as a particular nasty stab of pain made him nearly lose his grip on his cup. He waited for it to pass before took a steadying breath so he could attempt to sip his tea again so he could take the painkillers.

"The chefs would like to know what you want for dinner," Kabuto told Sasuke. "I'll go ahead and place the order."

"What I want," Sasuke hummed, looking into his cup. "Um...can they make tomato bisque soup?" It had been a long time since he could have anything other than dry bread and gamey stew. He felt a little guilty asking for something as decadent as a cream-based soup but having it at least once couldn't hurt.

"Of course," Kabuto nodded, jotting down the request.

"He can't have solids either?" Suigetsu's attention finally landed on his roommate.

"Oh no he can," Kabuto said simply, looking up at the other man.

"You can eat solids and you're opting for _soup_?" Suigetsu questioned. "Freak."

Sasuke shot a glare at his roommate. "Shut up," Karin muttered. "When you can eat solids again, you can choose whatever you want."

"Yeah, and it definitely won't be soup!" Suigetsu countered. Kabuto got them to calm down long enough for him to collect Suigetsu's request. He left the room long enough to give the order to a waiting servant just outside the infirmary. When he returned he walked back toward's Sasuke's bed to resume watching the scuffle with him.

"Why are you yelling!" Karin growled. "Hurry up and take your medication!" She pressed the small glass to his lips again. Sasuke simply watched the struggle with mild amusement. With every sip Suigetsu took, he let out a disgusted groan.

"It's so gross," he almost cried, turning his face away from the half-finished glass. Karin let out a frustrated groan. The man could barely move but what he could, he used to make the red head's life very hard.

"Stop being a baby about the taste!" Karin snapped. She gripped his jaw gently but with enough pressure to coax the man's face forward again. Pressing the glass to his lips once more she kept tilting the glass until he swallowed the whole thing.

"That's the first time today she actually managed to get him to take the whole thing," Kabuto said lowly to Sasuke. Sasuke shook his head not remotely surprised. The motion caused his breath to hitch. He forced himself to unclench his jaw. He knew if he kept biting down, it would only cause a headache to add to his pains.

"Doc you need to make that medication taste better," Suigetsu barked. "And are either of you going to tell me who this soup eater is?"

"The soup eater's name is Sasuke," Kabuto said.

"Sasuke Uchiha," introduced himself.

"Oh, I know that name," Suigetsu hummed.

"Not many people don't'," Sasuke said matter of factly.

"No need to be smug about it," Suigetsu smirked.

"Smugness has nothing to do with it. It's hardly important where I came from." Sasuke countered. "I simply know my standing." He had nothing to prove to the other man. That being said he was happy to see that his roommate was doing better then he expected him too. He wasn't too sure about the doctor's statement about him being of a weaker will.

"What do you mean?" Suigetsu asked, glaring at his roommate.

"You shouldn't be talking this much in your current state," Karin reprimanded. "If anything, you should be sleeping again."

"Stop telling me what to do!" Suigetsu grumbled, distracting him from his original question. "I've been asleep for too long!"

"You are still sleeping," Orochimaru joked dryly as he entered the room with a clipboard. "I'm here to evaluate you on how you're doing. Can you feel anything?" He stopped at the edge of Suigetsu's bed.

"Try Everything," Suigetsu grumbled. "Everything hurts!" he whined.

"Good," Orochimaru said, ignoring his attitude while writing something down. "So your body is reacting normally then. Did he take his medication?" he asked Karin.

"After crying about it forever, yes," Karin answered.

"Normally! Aren't you supposed to be the guy who takes the pain away!" Suigetsu yelled indignantly. Sasuke snorted into his cup of tea.

"I can't share a room with an idiot," he said lowly to Kabuto. The doctor could hear the slightest amusement in the younger man's voice.

"You'll just have to endure," they were both watching as Orochimaru continued to question him. He instructed Karin to poke and prod him in different spots causing Suigetsu to twitch, yell and groan even louder. "It probably won't be for much longer," Kabuto smirked. "If he refuses to take his medicines and cooperate, he won't live very long." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the doctor's blatant gallows humor. He was prone to it himself.

After a few minutes, Orochimaru set his clipboard down. "You could be doing better but I suppose this is good for now," Orochimaru said to Suigetsu. He frowned, marking a few more things down on his chart.

"I'm starting to doubt your credentials," Suigetsu muttered.

"It's your fault that your recover is behind," Karin growled.

"How so!" Suigetsu demanded, snapping his head to look at her.

"Oh, I don't know! You refuse to take your medications! You thrash around, aggravating your body which right now is one giant wound!" Karin growled.

"Yes, if you keep thrashing we might have to tie you down," Orochimaru monotoned. He turned to discreetly smirk at Sasuke and Kabuto.

"Tie me down?" Suigetsu gasped.

"Yes," Orochimaru sighed. "Must I explain what that is?"

"You wouldn't."

"But I would."

"Don't challenge him," Kabuto warned.

"You should be grateful to him," Karin said. "He saved your life." Sasuke hid another snort in his cup of tea but it was loud enough to catch his roommate's attention.

"Are you laughing at me!" He pouted. "You're just as stuck as I am!"

"Actually he's doing much better than you since he is following orders and keeping still," Orochimaru told him.

"He's also significantly less injured then you," Karin reminded him.

"Your misfortunes are bringing me great joy in my hard times," Sasuke smirked. A few minutes later, the food arrived.

"Perfect timing," Kabuto said as the cart was wheeled into the room. He gave the delivery person a sheet with the breakfast order for the next day and wheeled the cart closer to Sasuke as they left. Sasuke shifted as best he could with his one arm to sit more upright. Kabuto waited then set his tray of food down. "What is that," he frowned noticing a little ball of baked dough and a note at the top corner of the tray. Sasuke zeroed in on it.

"Desert?" Sasuke guessed he had not noticed the note figuring it was just a doily for the pastry to rest on.

"They don't usually include that," Kabuto muttered.

"I don't really eat sweets either," Sasuke hummed, picking up the pastry and inspecting it.

"What does the note say?" Kabuto asked. Sasuke frowned, placing the ball down so he could reach for the oil-stained paper. It was high-quality paper too. He figured it could have been his mother's doing. He unfolded it and began to read but immediately did not recognize the handwriting. It was nice and written in beautiful orangey gold ink.

"Well," Suigetsu said from across the room. Sasuke looked up to see everyone was waiting to know what the note said.

"Right," Sasuke mumbled actually taking the time to read the note. It said 'I hope the courtyard and a barking dummy where to your liking today. I wasn't sure what fruit you liked but heard you love tomatoes so I had the bakers make you this sweet. -Yours."

"Yours?" Suigetsu scoffed through a mouthful

"Must be one of the girls," Karin rolled her eyes.

"Wow, you've been here what a week! And you're picking up girls?" Suigetsu rolled his eyes. Kabuto and Orochimaru shared a knowing look that Sasuke caught. He refolded the note and picked up the pasty again.

"Too bad I'm not looking for a relationship," he muttered.

"Are you going to turn her down?" Suigetsu asked. "Which girl do you think it is?" He looked at Orochimaru and Kabuto, wondering if they recognized the handwriting. Both men backed up.

"We don't get involved in the romantic drama of you young ones," Orochimaru shook his head. "I have four of my own to worry about and having a grandson on the way is enough for me."

"I don't really...do romance," Kabuto shook his head. "Too messy." Suigetsu scoffed, rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he grumbled.

"Whoever she is, I'm sure she'll approach me and I'll just have to tell her the bad news then."

"I'm sure they will," Orochimaru smirked.

"Send her my way when you're done breaking her heart," Suigetsu chuckled.

"You're disgusting," Karin wrinkled her nose. Suigetsu sucked his teeth, unable to do anything else.

"Whatever. You probably don't get love letters either." Karin's face burned as bright as her hair.

"I am a woman of science! I don't have time for love," she defended. Again, Kabuto and Orochimaru shared a knowing glance.

"You two seem like you know who it is though," Sasuke said, noticing their glance. "I'm not asking you to tell me who she is but can I ask if she is the type to not give up? I don't want to be annoyed with a persistent girl when I'm trying to recover."

"Persistent is too weak of a word for this 'girl'," Kabuto chuckled.

"Entirely unyielding," Orochimaru tried.

"Downright stubborn,"

"Not used to the word no,"

"We could go on," Orochimaru smirked. "I say, just enjoy the attention."

"Can't enjoy something I don't want," Sasuke muttered. "I guess she'll be a challenge," he huffed.

"Ungrateful," Suigetsu scoffed.

"Alright you two," Kabuto clapped his hands. "Eat up and then get to sleep. You both need all the rest you can get."

"Karin come find me once you're done here so we can go over tomorrow's operation," Orochimaru told the young nurse. Karin gasped, her eyes lighting up.

"Alright," she grinned. "I'll be right there." Orochimaru nodded and then left for the office. Sasuke continued to eat, reading over the note and trying to figure out a way to turn down his secret admirer. Karin helped Suigetsu get settled in for the night, not without conflict. Another servant returned with a cart to collect their dinner dishes and left.

"Do you need anything before I go?" Karin asked Sasuke. Her voice went up several girlish octaves which made Suigetsu roll his eyes. Sasuke closed the note in his hand and shook his head.

"No," he said softly. "I'm fine."

"Oh," Karin tried her hardest not to pout. "Alright then. Goodnight," she said just before leaving the room.

"I bet it was her," Suigetsu mumbled once they were alone.

"No," Sasuke shook his head.

"What makes you so sure?"

"I...just have a feeling."

Suigetsu gave him a strange look but did not press the matter anymore. Instead, he very carefully and painfully settled in to try and go to sleep. Sasuke leaned over and blew oh his own lantern also settling in for a night of restless sleep.


End file.
